1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an ink dosing device or ink metering device for inking mechanisms or inking units of printing presses with several dosing elements that are adjustable independently of one another, which dosing elements are provided over the length of an ink fountain, whereby each dosing element shows a dosing area that is adjustable in its clearance to the ink fountain roller.
2. Background Information
Through German Patent No. 33 24 952 C1, which corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 4,581,994, such dosing elements are known whose dosing areas are designed, e.g., as an edge. These dosing areas each are zone-wide and run exactly parallel to the lateral area of the ink fountain roller. The dosing elements are adjustable in the direction toward the lateral area of the ink fountain roller so that, through the dosing area, a varying clearance to the ink fountain roller can be adjusted. Through this clearance, the thickness of the ink film is adjusted, and thus, the respective amount of ink which is, in this zone, transported into the inking unit and onto the printing plate is adjusted. The amount of ink needed in each zone is determined by the printing image, whereby with the known design, an adjustment is very difficult when only minimal amounts of ink are needed in a zone. When the area on the printing image that is to be printed goes toward zero in this zone area, too much ink can be fed into an inking unit. The excess ink cannot be carried off by the printing plate so that a surplus of ink in the inking unit emerges, and this leads to malfunctions in printing.